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J.D. Irving to provide apprenticeships to 10 women with New Boots partnership

April 9, 2019 – J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) has partnered with New Boots – Progressing Women in Trades and the New Brunswick government to provide career opportunities for 10 women interested in the Skilled Trades Exploration Program for Women (STEPW).

Ten women interested in becoming a skilled tradesperson will be chosen for an apprenticeship across several JDI businesses. The chosen participants will attend 12 weeks of job readiness training at New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) in Saint John and will then be provided with a position and a mentor in a JDI business. After attaining the required 1,800 apprenticeship hours in the business, the participants will move on to block release to achieve journeyperson status with JDI support.

A job posting for the 10 openings is posted until April 21 on the JDI careers website. Interviews will be held April 22 to April 25 and offers will be made on the 26 of April. Successful participants will begin training at NBCC mid-May and commence on-the-job training at JDI in August. Block release will begin in January 2020. Women who have recently graduated high school, are currently in the workforce and want the opportunity to reskill, or who are currently in a trade program, are all eligible to apply.

“JDI has been supportive of our work since our launch in 2018,” says Helene Savoie-Louis, director of Map Strategic Workforce Services. “It’s wonderful for us because JDI has so many different skilled trades within their different divisions. This gives us access to an employer that is committed to diversifying their workforce and providing women the opportunity to progress in their chosen career, which is skilled trades.”

In addition, JDI will be sponsoring this year’s New Boots Annual Summit which will be held at the Delta Marriott in Saint John on April 11, 2019. The event will focus on retention and recruitment of women in skilled trades from both an employer and tradesperson perspective. Employees and employers will come together to experience the day which will include a guest speaker, an industry panel, a problem-solving workshop and an educational workshop.

“New Boots is doing vital work, promoting skilled trades opportunities for women in New Brunswick,” says Colleen Baxter, vice-president of human resources with JDI. “We’re doing our part to keep New Brunswickers home and encourage more women into skilled trades.”

JDI forecasts 7,500 full time hires over the next three years and over 700 of those roles are for skilled trades.